Fatal Shooting at Long Beach Gathering
A shooting at a crowded street gathering in Long Beach left one person dead and two others wounded on what was reported as Sunday afternoon. The Long Beach Police Department is currently investigating the incident, and the motive remains unclear.
The shooting occurred around 3:32 p.m. on Sunday, March 1, 2026, near a parking structure in the 200 block of Pine Avenue. This was about half a block south of a large-scale public celebration for the grand opening of Marathon Burger at 245 Pine Ave. The restaurant is part of a chain founded by the late rapper Nipsey Hussle and his family. The event drew hundreds of people, including celebrities like Snoop Dogg and rapper YG, as well as Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson, who had participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony shortly before the incident. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the sound of gunfire sent the crowd running in panic. Three men in their late teens or early 20s were wounded in the shooting. One victim later succumbed to his injuries at a hospital. The other two were reported to be in stable condition. As of now, no arrests have been made, and the motive for the shooting remains under investigation by the Long Beach Police Department. A spokesperson for Marathon Burger stated the incident was not connected to their event, which they described as a huge success with strong community support that continued safely. However, the violence cast a shadow over what was intended to be a positive community celebration. Mayor Rex Richardson expressed his outrage, stating, "we will not allow violence to define our downtown or undermine the progress we are making." This incident adds to the ongoing conversation about violent crime in Long Beach. In early 2025, the city's police chief noted a five-year low in shootings for the first half of the year. However, 2024 saw a rise in homicides compared to the previous year, with 38 murders recorded.
